25 February 2016

REIGNING Singapore League (S-League) champions DPMM FC were held to a 1-1 draw against 10-man Geylang International FC last night.
Sahil Suhaimi opened the scoring for Geylang while Rafael Ramazotti got on the scoresheet for DPMM FC at the Bedok Stadium in Singapore.
DPMM FC are now seventh in the nine-team league with one point from two matches after a 3-2 defeat against Albirex Niigata (S) FC in the Community Shield last Saturday.
According to the S-League Twitter updates, a freekick for DPMM FC almost caught Geylang goalkeeper Syazwan Buhari out at the back post in the second minute.
Geylang found the back of the net three minutes later but was flagged for offside.
Gabriel Quak took a shot at goal from the edge of the box in the 11th minute but was off target.
DPMM FC had a chance in the 18th minute but Azwan Ali Rahman failed to capitalise on a cross from the right.
The Eagles took a short corner in the 22nd minute but DPMM FC shotstopper Wardun Yussof tipped the ball away. Azwan Ali was on target four minutes later but Syazwan was to his equal to keep the match goalless.
The hosts threatened again in the 29th minute after a freekick by Carlos Delgado was headed over the bar.
At the othe end, Maududi Hilmi Kasmi produced a cross in the 38th minute but Azwan Ali couldn’t convert at the far post.
Geylang almost grabbed the lead a minute after the interval off a counterattack but Wardun came to the rescue to deny Quak’s effort from just outside the six-yard box.
A chance went begging for the Brunei side in the 59th minute as Azwan Ali’s cross was just too far ahead for Ramazotti.
Azwan Ali struck a freekick on target on the hour mark but was saved by Syazwan.
The DPMM FC forward threatened again three minutes later but his left footed shot was inches wide of the goal.
The Eagles found the back of the net again courtesy of Al-Qaasimy Rahman in the 65th minute but was ruled offside. Geylang were reduced to 10 men three minutes later after Amy Recha was sent off for his second yellow card.
Brian McLean got a header on target in the 69th minute but it couldn’t test the Geylang custodian. Geylang broke the deadlock in the 75th minute with Sahil Suhaimi squeezing the ball past Wardun.
The lead was shortlived as DPMM FC answered back with Ramazotti scoring on the restart.
Geylang could have stole all three points just before the final whistle as Sahil sent a ball to the top left corner but Wardun produced a magnificent save to ensure both teams share the spoils.
Over at the Jalan Besar Stadium in Singapore, Albirex picked up their second straight win after a 5-0 thrashing of the Young Lions (Singapore national under-23 football team).
Atsushi Kawata scored four goals while Masaya Jitozono netted the other.

13 February 2016

BRIAN McLean is more than ready to kick back into gear for DPMM FC in the new Singapore League (S-League) season.
The Northern Irish defender missed more than a month of pre-season training and finally arrived in the Sultanate on Tuesday after becoming a father for the first time at the beginning of the year.
“To be honest, it is not too difficult (to catch up) because I have been doing this my whole life,” said McLean in an interview with The Brunei Times after a training session at the Jerudong Mini Stadium on Thursday.
“So when I’m not on the pitch, I’m doing stuff away from home like looking after my body and eating the right food.
“The lads have been great and very patient with me, and they’ve given me a lot of support.
“It has been fantastic and I’m delighted to be able to sign on for another year. I want to thank the club for giving me an extra opportunity to stay for another year and I’m looking forward to the season ahead,” added the 30-year-old centreback.
One of the main factors that helped DPMM FC win their first S-League title was the good understanding that McLean had built with Boris Raspudic.
However, with the S-League import quota reduced from five to three this year, the Bosnian – and Irishman Joe Gamble – did not get a contract extension.
Raspudic’s arrival at the beginning of the 2014 season helped the club to a league-low of 30 S-League goals, and though they finished with the most goals scored (63), they still finished the season second – just three points adrift of eventual champions Warriors FC.
Despite the loss of the influential Raspudic in the heart of defence, McLean feels the team will be able to cope.
“I don’t think will be difficult. In football there are so many different elements that can cause different scenarios,” explained McLean.
“It is what it is. Unfortunately the league has cut the foreign players from five to three.
“The local lads have been exceptional and in good condition and we are just looking forward to a great start this weekend,” he added.
When asked on what his targets are for the new season, McLean replied: “Expectations haven’t changed, which is to go on and win every game that we participate in.
“In that sense nothing has dramatically changed from last season.
“We’ve got a good group of lads and we have a good togetherness which is important,” added McLean, whose whose father was a professional footballer for Scottish Premiership side Kilmarnock for 15 years before retiring in 1991.
McLean - who joined DPMM FC at the start of last season - has also laced up for Falkirk, Dundee United and Ross County in the top-tier Scottish Premiership.

TWO fewer foreign players and a couple of new local faces, but reigning champions DPMM FC are ready to start their Singapore League (S-League) season against Albirex Niigata (S) FC tonight.
S-League titleholders DPMM FC start their title defence against Singapore Cup holders Albirex in the Community Shield at the Jalan Besar Stadium in Singapore, and it is far from certain how DPMM FC will deal with their backline after the release of Bosnian Boris Raspudic and the late arrival of Brian McLean.
McLean only arrived back in the sultanate to join the team on Tuesday, and he will have to adjust quickly as DPMM FC coach Steve Kean has entrusted Abdul Aziz Tamit to start alongside him in the season-opener -which marks the first chance of the year for both teams to win silverware.
“We’ve had five really good weeks of work,” said Kean in an interview with The Brunei Times after a training session at the Jerudong Mini Stadium on Thursday.
“Brian’s wife delivered a baby girl early and he was in different country and he only just made it back, but he is a very good pro as he was training everyday on his own.
“Even though he might not be 100 per cent match fit, his experience will get him through this game with no problems,” he added.
DPMM FC have promoted three Under-19 players – Mohd Na’im Hj Tarif, Mohd Azim Izamuddin Hj Suhaimi and Abdul Hafiz Abdul Rahim – to the senior squad, but they will have to wait to get a taste of action.
Meanwhile, former Indera Sports Club player Muhd Nur Ikhwan Othman will be making his debut in DPMM FC colours as he will be given the start with skipper Rosmin Hj Md Kamis suspended for the match.
“This gives Ikhwan an early opportunity in his first full season. He is a good player, has got good balance and can see a pass,” praised Kean.
“There is no hesitation to put him in because he has had a good pre-season,” added the Scotsman.
Albirex - who also won the Singapore League Cup last season -are a revamped team with 16 new players on the roster as well as a new coach in Naoki Naruo - who was previously at the helm in 2009.
According to a report on the S-League website, the White Swans have retained key players like Atsushi Kawata, Kento Nagasaki and Rui Kumada.
The Japanese outfit have also welcomed back Tatsuro Inui, who will take over the vacant playmaker role after 2015 S-League Player of the Year Fumiya Kogure left for Hougang United.
Albirex struggled for goals last season but the inclusion of Kawata and the towering 1.9m Kazuki Mine from J-League 2 side Kyoto Sanga will help the team in front of goal.
Although Kean doesn’t know what to expect, he believes his charges have got the edge.
“I have no idea how they will play but knowing the mentality of the club, I’m sure they won’t move too far away from what they normally play,” said Kean.
“They try to control the ball and they don’t play direct football. They try and build it up through the back and middle leading to the front. I don’t see that changing too much.
“It is a challenge because it is a new team and it might take them a few weeks to gel.
“On the other hand, majority of our players have been together for two years so I think that is an advantage for us.”
Kick-off is at 7.45pm.

THREE DPMM FC players failed the Singapore League’s (S-League) mandatory fitness test yesterday.
As a result, midfielders Mohd Hendra Azam Mohd Idris and Mohd Aminudin Zakwan Tahir and defender Amalul Ariffin Said will miss Saturday’s season opening Community Shield match against Singapore Cup holders Albirex Niigata FC (S) at the Jalan Besar Stadium in Singapore.
This year has seen a change in the S-League’s mandatory 2.4km fitness test run, and under the new rule, players have to clock nine minutes and 30 seconds, 15 second faster than the previous season-passing mark of nine minutes and 45 seconds.
However, the players can keep trying until they pass and the club has until next month to send the complete name list for the 2016 season. The players can do the test even when the S-League kicks off.
DPMM FC skipper Rosmin Hj Md Kamis had mixed feelings over the new ruling.
“If we are to think about it, it is just running for under nine minutes and 30 seconds for 2.4km… If we play 90 minutes in a match, so I cannot see why we can’t pass this test,” said Rosmin in an interview with The Brunei Times yesterday.
“But again, not all players are the same. They are of different sizes and each and every one of them has their own strengths and weaknesses in certain areas.
“Take Hendra as an example. He is not the kind of player who runs a lot, but he is a very good player.
“Mohd Aminuddin is also a very important member of the squad and he has made many appearances with the club last season, so we cannot afford to lose these players because of the test,” added Rosmin who is also going to miss Saturday’s game due to suspension.
DPMM FC are coming off their best season to date after winning their maiden S-League title last year.
They equaled their best finish in the Singapore Cup after placing third but were knocked out in the group stage of the Singapore League Cup.

THE 2016 Singapore League (S-League) season is just a week away, and the main question in Brunei is whether DPMM FC will be able to defend their title.
It will definitely be a difficult task as the league has taken an upturn with Tampines Rovers FC landing a big name signing with former Liverpool and Arsenal midfielder Jermaine Pennant as well as other teams bolstering their squad by snapping up players from the disbanded LionsXII team.
The season opener will see reigning champions DPMM FC take on Singapore Cup holders Albirex Niigata (S) FC at the Jalan Besar Stadium in Singapore in next Saturday’s Charity Shield.
The DPMM FC camp has been quiet during the off-season but they have retained most of their players from last year as it is known they have inked two-year contracts with the country’s only professional club.
Regardless, the side are probably the team hit the hardest by the S-League import quota being reduced from five to three.
The foreign players brought in last season complemented the local players well, which resulted in them winning their maiden title.
But DPMM FC have now replaced two slots filled by experienced imports – Bosnian defender Boris Raspudic and Irish midfielder Joe Gamble – by promoting players from the Under-19 team.
Setting up a youth team was one of Kean’s main priorities when he first signed for the club in Nov 2013.
From over 120 hopefuls from around the country who turned up for trials in January 2015, around 20 were selected for the team.
The side train and plays in a similar system to the first-team, making a progression into the senior ranks easier - as is the fact Kean trains the Under-19s as well.
However, it remains to be seen how they can cope with the rigours of professional football.
With that in mind, it was natural that DPMM FC would re-sign S-League topscorer Rafael Ramazotti.
However, the Brazilian’s threat upfront also depends on the performance of Portuguese forward Paulo Sergio, who produced 17 assists last season.
No surprise, then, that both have been retained for the 2016 season.
There is plenty of firepower up front, but there may be problems with the team’s backline now that McLean’s central defensive partner Raspudic is gone.
McLean had developed a good understanding with Raspudic, and it will be interesting to see who will replace the centre-back as those are some big shoes to fill.
On the plus side, having stuck with the same core players means that DPMM FC should be well-versed with the training regime under coach Steve Kean.
Azwan Ali Rahman, who won the S-League’s Young Player of the Year award last season, knows just how hard it will be to defend their title this season.
“There is an increase in the level of competition, but anything can happen so we just have to focus on our own targets - which is to fight to win all the competitions,” said the midfielder during DPMM FC’s annual sponsor signing ceremony last Friday.
“The players will be part of the rotation with the reduction of imports, which means everyone fights for their place, and that will be a great motivation for us.”
Most of the talk so far has been about Tampines as they look to be the favourites to win the title.
The runners-up only kept five of their players from last season and besides getting Pennant, they signed eight players from the LionsXII - which include Singapore No 1 goalkeeper Izwan Mahbud.
In addition, the Stags have picked up Warriors FC topscorer Fazrul Nawaz as well as Jordan Webb from the Young Lions.
On paper, they seem the most likely to win - but anything can happen in football.